Can there be a crossover in disciplines for sports betting purposes? It’s an interesting question and one that we probe into in this article. Arguably at the end of the day, general betting principles are not going to shift around too much when you change sports.
But because sports have their different dynamics and factors which play into the final result of things, there also has to be an adjustment. If you have only dug into the odds on NHL betting sites, then it’s a tricky transition to just start betting on soccer.
However, there are some common tips that you can use, to at least give you a good platform in crossing over into the world of soccer betting.
Advice to Stick With
First and foremost, a common piece of betting advice that people should stick to is don’t bet on something you don’t know about. Before ever betting on a new sport, at least spend some time watching games, understanding some rules and getting a working knowledge of teams and players.
Statistical Analysis
In soccer, the most common Totals line for goals is Over/Under 2.5 goals. Think about the average goals per team in an NHL season. It usually averages around 3 goals per game per team, more than you would find for most soccer teams.
So if you are used to a total of Over/Under 4.5 on hockey, then you are going to need to dial things back. While it is the same sort of market with familiar options, what goes on in the hockey lines themselves in terms of the number in play, is nothing relatable to that of the soccer betting goal lines.
Home and Away Form
Most punters will know that home teams have an advantage and this is a common factor between ice hockey and soccer betting. Playing in familiar home surroundings with a bigger base of fans is going to give a team a bit of a lift. In ice hockey, teams with home advantage get two periods where line changes are easier.
While that’s not the same in soccer, home advantage is still a massive factor. Weaker teams have more of a chance of pulling off an underdog success on home turf. Away from home, they turn up with a siege mentality. Most teams will have a higher average of points per home game than away games during a season.
Different Markets
You will have many similar markets to explore in switching between ice hockey and soccer betting. But there will be some differences too, like betting on Cards and Corner Kicks in soccer. There are also translatable ones, such as the Puck Line from hockey, being a handicap wager in soccer betting.
Keeping the Focus
One of the big differences between the two sports is the number of leagues and competitions. It’s the NHL that dominates all sportsbooks’ ice hockey betting markets. So it is much easier to keep a clear focus on the goings-on from that league, like trades and injuries.
The number of soccer competitions in contrast is staggering. There are Europe’s big leagues like the Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A, plus cup competitions thrown in. Countries like England, Germany and Italy have more than one professional domestic league. There are four leagues alone in the English professional game for example with around 20 teams in each.
So definitely in soccer betting, there is a need to be a little bit picky about the competitions that you select. It’s advisable to select only one major domestic league and focus there. Get to know the teams for that one league, so it’s easy to get acclimated with the stats and trends that come from that.
In Conclusion
There are some skills from ice-hockey betting that are going to be transferable over to soccer betting. Things like understanding the value of the odds that are presented are important, as well as knowing that there is a bankroll to be managed and statistics that need to be studied.
Those are part and parcel of any sports betting. But the fact that you have had experience with ice-hockey, gives you a bit of a leg up. There is at least experience in betting, so you are probably already set up with a good reliable bookmaker and have already adapted to different betting techniques and strategies before.
